Day and night tour

Chapter 428 All Living Beings as Medicine
Zhou Xuan, possessing the golden token, forcefully extended his reach into the "human pill" business, attempting to grab a share of the profits. Yu Pusa couldn't help but think—perhaps, it was the Witch God's intention to interfere in the human pill business?
"Are you someone who works for the witch god?"

Even the Bodhisattva had to lower his head upon hearing the name of the sorcerer god.

Ancient Buddha was once one of the four Heavenly Venerables of the Well Kingdom. As Heavenly Venerables, there was no distinction of rank between Ancient Buddha and the Witch God.

However, the Fish Bodhisattva was merely an avatar.

He had no idea how much combat power the Witch God possessed at his peak.

But one thing is certain: he is now far inferior to the God of Witchcraft.

Circumstances dictate that one must yield; one has no choice but to comply.

"It's good that you know who I work for."

Zhou Xuan secretly released his mental control further. This ancient Buddha clone was indeed troublesome. In the past, at this stage, the method of "catering to its preferences" would have been activated long ago, but the Fish Bodhisattva showed no signs of falling for it.

"Witch God, how much of the human pill business do you want?"

Fish Bodhisattva asked somewhat unwillingly.

Zhou Xuan held up three fingers.
Upon seeing the specific figures, Fish Bodhisattva breathed a sigh of relief. Thirty percent was not a large amount, not a major blow, and still negotiable.

To be honest, he's a ruthless businessman at heart. There's no reason for him to negotiate prices without bargaining. Thirty percent isn't much to him, but if he could get even half a percent off, that would be great.

With a thought in mind, Yu Pusa began to negotiate with Zhou Xuan on the business of "human pills".

"The Witch God is indeed benevolent; a 30% share is only right given his reputation, but..."

"Xu..."

Zhou Xuan made a "whoosh, whoosh" sound, signaling the horse to stop, and stopped Fish Bodhisattva, saying, "Thirty percent is yours! Seventy percent belongs to the old witch god."

"..."

Fish Bodhisattva was so angry he almost blew smoke. He knew that you, Witch God, were powerful and that your usual style was domineering enough. Everyone in the incense and god circles of the entire Jing Kingdom was afraid of you. But you didn't refine a single pill and just took away 70% of it for nothing.

What do you think?

I've seen people bullied before, but I've never seen anyone bully people like this.

This is outrageous! How can we tolerate this?

The Fish Bodhisattva glared fiercely once more, ready to chant Buddhist hymns and fight Zhou Xuan. However, Zhou Xuan anticipated his move and immediately spoke up.

"Do you feel that the Witch God has been too harsh on you?"

These questions left Yu Pusa confused about Zhou Xuan's true allegiance. He had used the name of the Witch God to intimidate people, but now he was speaking ill of the Witch God.
He quickly tried to suppress his anger and said with a forced smile, "Nonsense, the old witch god has always acted this way. There's no question of him bullying or insulting anyone."

"Useless! Cowardly! You are supposed to be a Buddha of the Twenty-First Stage of Zen, yet you are such a useless piece of trash. You were bullied, so why don't you dare to speak up?"

Zhou Xuan's words were like a wake-up call, leaving Yu Pusa stunned.

“A person should have the courage to say ‘no’ to injustice. If a witch god were to shit on your head, and you only dare to praise how warm it is, what kind of person are you?”

Zhou Xuan's reprimands were like a barrage of bullets.
This wasn't because he wanted to use the name of the sorcerer god to intimidate others—though it wasn't entirely devoid of an element of arrogance.

However, this element is not abundant. Zhou Xuan's most crucial task is to break down Yu Pusa's psychological defenses and complete his training.

What is the essence of discipline? It is not just constant scolding, nor is it just constant praise, but rather an alternation between praise and gentle scolding.

It's commonly known as "giving a beating followed by a treat".
During the short time Zhou Xuan was talking to the fish bodhisattva, his stick had already struck several times, and he had eaten several dates.

Now that the blow is over, it's time for Zhou Xuan to offer some sweet treats.

With his hands behind his back, he said, "Fish Bodhisattva, let me tell you honestly, before we came here, the Witch God saw how hard you worked refining pills day and night, and only asked for 40% of your share. Is that price fair?"

"Oh my, that's so fair."

Influenced by the previous "70%", Zhou Xuan now reduced the share back to 40%, which gave Yu Pusa a pleasant surprise.

However, he then asked, "The Witch God wanted 40%, so why is it 70% here?"

Zhou Xuan chuckled, lowered his head, and idly tugged at the sand in the "Spirit Realm" with his toes, saying, "The news of the Ancient Buddha's avatar refining the Human Pill is worth thirty percent of the share."

As soon as he finished speaking, both the Fish Bodhisattva and the White Deer Taoist were astonished.

They also realized the situation: Zhou Xuan, the "middleman," wanted to earn the 30% difference. If Yu Pusa didn't give it to him, he would leak the news.

At this moment, Bai Lu Fangshi truly believed that he had been "sold out" by Zhou Xuan, and he naturally hated this great master of Mingjiang Prefecture to the core.

Despite his resentment, he had to admire the master's methods—first, he quietly lured him into the "spiritual realm," and then, with great fanfare, he negotiated business with the fish bodhisattva, silently demanding to take 30% of the share by himself.

"He has a big appetite and is a complete ambitious person. If such a person were to walk the right path, he would be so talented and brilliant. It's a pity that he has become wicked at such a young age."

Fish Bodhisattva and White Deer Alchemist shared similar thoughts, both astonished that Zhou Xuan, at such a young age, possessed such great ambition, and that his words carried such a powerful and authoritative tone.
Even though Fish Bodhisattva disliked Zhou Xuan very much, she still couldn't deny the logic in his words.

After thinking for a while, Fish Bodhisattva asked in a low voice, "Master, you are merely a capable person under the command of the Witch God. You came here with the Witch God's golden token, so you must be highly valued by the Witch God."

But you are using your position for personal gain, trying to exploit my vulnerabilities and take away 30% of the share. Aren't you afraid of being punished by the witches and gods?

"You have such a big appetite, I'm afraid you'll overeat..."

"Of course I can't eat it! So, I don't plan to eat it directly."

Zhou Xuan's words were like a sudden stop to Yu Pusa's words, abruptly slamming the veil of sarcasm in his speech.

"Zhou Xuan, can I finally let out all my emotions in front of you?"

The fish bodhisattva was very annoyed.
But how could Zhou Xuan let him speak so smoothly? He kept using language to break Yu Pusa's preconceived notions and then kept pulling the rhythm of their communication in a direction that was advantageous to him.

Zhou Xuan said casually, "You don't have to pay my 30% share right now. I'll leave it with you as a 'dry share'."

"So I'll have to give you a share of the profits every year?"

“You’ve underestimated my ambitions and vision. The Ren Dan business is huge, bigger than you can imagine. I’m looking at the timeframe for profit sharing over a hundred or two hundred years.”

Zhou Xuan has already begun to "get into the swing of things," and he plans to use the "big business" as a gimmick to officially pique the fish bodhisattva's keen interest.

As long as the fish bodhisattva's interest grows stronger, the tactic of "catering to its preferences" will have a very high probability of succeeding.

Fish Bodhisattva scoffed at Zhou Xuan's idea, sneering, "A timescale of one hundred or two hundred years? Zhou Xuan, should I say you're delusional, or a toad trying to eat swan meat?"

In this world, there are countless disciples in a temple, but how many of them can live past two hundred years? And yet, they receive dividends based on a two-hundred-year timeframe?
"Ha, I'm afraid you won't even live that long."

In the Kingdom of Jing, people have a limited lifespan, and generally speaking, it's not very long. To live for two or three hundred years requires extremely high levels of cultivation and certain special methods.

For example, Yun Ziliang, hidden in the painting, was able to live out three hundred years in a complete way.

As for Zhou Xuan, he used "two hundred years" as a standard, which naturally sounded somewhat exaggerated to Yu Pusa.

Despite the mockery, Zhou Xuan calmly asked, "Old Yu, how many years has 'Gong Zheng' lived?"

“More than two thousand years,” said the Fish Bodhisattva.

Zhou Xuan then asked, "How many years has that 'bitter ghost' lived?"

“He is also one of the ancient gods, naturally more than two thousand years old,” said the Fish Bodhisattva.

"Why are these gods so long-lived?" Zhou Xuan asked again.

"Because they have a divine essence within them, they can enjoy the blessings of the divine power of the Well Kingdom, and naturally enjoy longevity."

The fish said irritably.

Zhou Xuan immediately produced a folding fan, gently fanning himself, maintaining an elegant posture, and said, "That settles it, doesn't it? Those who possess a divine spark can live for thousands of years..."

"Heh, only those at the Celestial God level possess a divine spark. Who do you think you are?"

Fish Bodhisattva was losing patience and began to speak with sharp sarcasm.

Zhou Xuan coldly replied, "I am not a Celestial God, but if I need a divine spark, I can obtain it... and more than one."

"You're talking nonsense." Fish Bodhisattva almost burst out laughing.

Even when you're exaggerating, there should be some basic principles—

—Those divine sparks in the heavens, how many new and old gods have fought tooth and nail for just one? And this young lad, at such a young age, already possesses a divine spark? And not just one?
Even if you are a member of the Witch God's faction, you certainly don't have such abilities.

Zhou Xuan said magnanimously, "There are several deities in the mortal realm who were appointed by me and supported by me. If I want those divine titles, they dare not refuse me."

"The divine status of Hu Men Shenming Xishan Wang, Gu Lao Hui Shenming Le Shi, Ci Qing Shenming Peng Sheng, Shuo Shi Ren Shenming Yuan Buyu, and Shen Jian Shenming Jian Daren will all be shared with me."

"By the way, in my secret realm, there are still the divine essence of the storyteller and the divine essence of the Dragon Seeking Mountain Ancestor. If you don't believe me, just ask Master Bai."

Zhou Xuan pointed to the wall where the White Deer Taoist was and said.

"Does he truly possess divine status?"

Fish Bodhisattva turned to ask White Deer Alchemist, an "old friend" he had dealt with before. He knew this stubborn old alchemist well, who never lied.

Bai Lu Fangshi did indeed see the divine essence in the secret realm, but now Zhou Xuanming is clearly going to join forces with Yu Pusa to do business in human pills. If he proves the existence of the divine essence, wouldn't he be adding fuel to the fire of this dirty business?

Therefore, he remained silent.

"Alright, if you don't say anything, that means you agree."

Fish Bodhisattva immediately understood that the White Deer Alchemist was just like that; he would never lie, and if he had to tell a lie, he would rather not say it at all.

"Master, I now have to think more highly of you. You actually possess divine power." "I am a storyteller, and I also possess the 'Book of Willpower.' Combined with the five god-level beings I've supported, and the Mountain Ancestor who firmly stands by my side, that means six god-level beings are on my side. What does this mean?"

Fish Bodhisattva is an incarnation of an ancient Buddha, and he has a great deal of knowledge about the affairs of the incense and godhood in the Well Kingdom. Naturally, he knows how to use the "Book of Will".

"In other words, you can do many incredible things in the Well Kingdom by your own efforts and by using the Heavenly Book."

Fish Bodhisattva's annoyance clearly subsided, and Zhou Xuan in front of her seemed to be hiding an extremely terrifying energy.

"This is only for now."

Zhou Xuan said, "The number of god-level beings that I support will increase. For example, Mr. Ye's god-level otherworldly being 'Di Zi' in Jingchuan Prefecture doesn't even live in the sky; it lives in the capital city."
If I were to slay the "Earth Child," seize the divine title, and support the Earth Child, the number of gods united in the same front would reach an astonishing seven.

Of course, seven is a lot, but I won't be satisfied. I will continue to conquer, eight, nine, ten... Once I have double-digit numbers of god-level beings, I won't even need to come looking for you. I'll just take the "Book of Will" and curse you to death.

“Sir, we actually have no enmity or grudge against each other, there’s no need to say such harsh words.”

Fish Bodhisattva's raven fire had dimmed considerably. He was also afraid, afraid that Zhou Xuanzhen would one day rise to prominence and curse him to death.

"I've already told you about my abilities. I'm not in a rush to distribute profits, so although I'm asking for 30% of your profits, it won't seriously harm you in the short term."
Moreover, as I've said before, the Ren Dan (human pill) business is a huge business, with far greater potential than you can imagine.

"Is it that big? Let me tell you about it, sir."

Fish Bodhisattva's interest in Zhou Xuan's topic grew stronger and stronger, much like a student listening to a teacher's lecture.

Zhou Xuan became increasingly relaxed, and he could already see signs that the "playing to their liking" tactic was about to be activated.

He said, "You know that the Buddhists are going to attack, right?"

"Of course I understand, dark clouds are gathering over the city, and a storm is brewing."

"Do you think the people of the Buddhist Kingdom can annihilate the Well Kingdom as easily as they annihilated other interstellar civilizations?"

Zhou Xuan asked again.

Fish Bodhisattva wasn't just a barbaric monk obsessed with alchemy; he had also given this matter some thought, and quickly said...
“Master, I think the people of the Buddhist Kingdom are not that powerful, and the Kingdom of Jing is not weak; it has a strong foundation.”

Although the Buddhist Kingdom has a realm lord of the thirty-three heavens, the Well Kingdom also has its own celestial gods and celestial venerables. Judging from the data on paper, the two sides are locked in a fierce struggle, with neither side willing to yield.
The Buddhists cannot win this great battle, but the war will drag on for a long time.

Hearing this, Zhou Xuan interjected, "You're a smart man. Since the war is going to last so long and the battle lines are so long, won't the sales of strategic materials like human pills suddenly increase?"

"This……"

Fish Bodhisattva has opened the door to a new world—profiting from war, comparable to squandering a family fortune.

Zhou Xuan continued, "With the two sides locked in a stalemate, the Human Pill can enhance combat power. Those figures in the heavens will buy from you no matter how high the price they pay."

"The idea is wonderful, but sir, you misunderstand. I do not have a complete monopoly on the Ren Dan business."

Fish Bodhisattva has grown increasingly trusting of Zhou Xuan, and no longer hides many things from him. He regards this great man as a potential partner, and thus casually reveals many secrets.

Zhou Xuan frowned as he listened.

So heartless! They use people to refine pills and turn the once beautiful Yunlu Mountain into a dead land and wasteland. They've made such a big fuss, yet they still don't have a monopoly business.
Moreover, this also means that there is more than one "human pill factory" like Yunlu Mountain on the vast land of Jingguo.
"Moreover, I'm not even the top person in the Ren Dan business."

The Fish Bodhisattva said, "Let's put it this way: even among the celestial deities, there are levels, and there are new gods and ancient gods. With my qualifications, I'm only qualified to provide medicine to the three deities 'Heavenly Eye,' 'Escape Armor,' and 'Mountain Ancestor.'"

"Yes, the three schools of Taoism above the heavens."

Zhou Xuan had heard Li Changxun say that these "Three Schools of Taoism" were, as their names suggested, the "last three" in the heavens, each one inferior to the last, with Changxun being the worst.

"The pills I refine are beneath the notice of even higher-level deities, and great figures in other folded spaces like the Realm of Time and the Realm of Immortality."

So he really is a good-for-nothing?
Zhou Xuan couldn't help but twitch his lips, his disdain overflowing.

At the same time, he was also somewhat astonished. The human pills refined by the Fish Bodhisattva were already strange enough. If those truly important figures didn't appreciate such pills, then how strange must the pills that those important figures usually consume be?
"I don't know much about those secrets, but I've heard that some people even use god-level pills for alchemy."

"The number of gods is limited; if they die, no one will hold them accountable?"

Zhou Xuan asked.

"The ascension of new gods and the slaying of old gods is often a straightforward success. Why? Great Master, because those new gods are all supported by others."
The new god successfully defeated the old god; the old god's remains were used to refine elixirs; and the new god gained power—a happy ending for everyone.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xuan felt as if he were staring into an abyss—he had originally thought that the Fish Bodhisattva was evil itself, but he never expected that he was just a protruding cliff at the entrance of the abyss of evil.

If even deities can find ways to use it for alchemy, then what about nine sticks of incense in the mortal realm? Eight sticks of incense? And what about disciples of even lower levels of incense offerings?
In the Kingdom of Jing, it seems that everyone is a elixir.

In that instant, Zhou Xuan remembered many things.

For example, the painter once said that after entering the Eight Incense Sticks Hall, the disciples would be summoned by the "Realm of Time," and those who went to the Realm of Time never returned.

For example, when Zhou Xuan killed "Peng Hou", this god-level alien was speaking kindly when he was about to die. He said, "How can a white crow be born from a nest of crows?"

He also said that he had seen the head of "Arrow Master's Father" in the heavenly kingdom.

All of this, when put together, illustrates one thing—Heaven and Earth are ruthless, using all living things as "medicine."

Zhou Xuan vaguely felt that this world was actually the largest alchemy furnace.

However, now is not the time for Zhou Xuan to wallow in self-pity. His most important task now is to deceive the Fish Bodhisattva.

Taking advantage of what Fish Bodhisattva said, he continued to paint a rosy picture, saying, "So, if we were to cooperate, what would be the first thing we do?"

"Forehead……"

"It's about swallowing up the other pill factories. Only by monopolizing them can we earn high prices. We need to acquire as much pill market share as possible before the war between the Buddhist Kingdom and the Well Kingdom."

When war comes, we'll transform ourselves from elixir dealers into high-ranking officials in the Kingdom of Jing, achieving a meteoric rise in social class. Your elixirs, my divine scriptures—we'll wield immense power and influence in Jing.

Zhou Xuan stretched out his arms straight, exuding an air of domineering power, as if he had the whole country under his feet. With every gesture, he led Yu Pusa to experience the "glorious life" he looked forward to in the future.

Can we do it?

"An ordinary mind wouldn't be able to do that, but I'm different, my mind..."

"Very effective?" Fish Bodhisattva echoed.

"I wouldn't say I'm brilliant; my mind is very dirty."

"How filthy?" In the Fish Bodhisattva's "wrathful gaze," there was no anger left, only a desire for status.

Zhou Xuan said, "During the war, our elixirs will not only be sold to the Jing Kingdom, but also to the Buddhist Kingdom. With the elixirs, the Buddhist Kingdom's fighting power will be stronger, so the war will not be one-sided and can last longer."

"Wars are meant to be prolonged; the longer they fight, the more we can gain."

"..." Fish Bodhisattva couldn't even imagine what kind of education Zhou Xuan had received to have such filthy thoughts.

Profiting from war is one thing, but to profit from both sides is another?

"If you are indeed a capable person, sir, it is no wonder that you are valued by the God of Witchcraft at such a young age. Then, if I may ask another question, what if the war is over? Will our pill business come to an end?"

“Then we need to make our stance clear,” Zhou Xuan said.

"What stance?" Fish Bodhisattva asked.

Zhou Xuan said casually, "If the Kingdom of Jing wins, we are citizens of the Kingdom of Jing; if the Kingdom of Buddhism wins, we are citizens of the Kingdom of Buddhism. In short, whoever wins, we belong to them."
From now on, with peace and prosperity reigning, we'll simply make room to continue our business of selling Ren Dan (a traditional Chinese medicine), and continue our upward social mobility.

One day, we will gain freedom—true freedom. Forget about this will or that will; we ourselves will be the true free will, transcending the three realms and beyond the five elements. On that day, who will be able to trample on us brothers?

Having witnessed the "Dream of the Four Heavenly Venerables," Zhou Xuan understood that even the true Heavenly Venerables, even those with a will as powerful as the Blood God, had never experienced true freedom.

That unbridled freedom, that feeling that no one in the world could decide life and death—he didn't even know if he had ever truly possessed "supreme will."

At present, absolute freedom is the most unattainable yet most tempting dream.

This dream is so compelling that you can't help but dream it, even if it's just an illusion.

The fish bodhisattva couldn't help but dream, murmuring, "Absolute freedom, absolute freedom, that's a luxury that even the ancient Buddhas never enjoyed."

Zhou Xuan pressed his advantage, continuing with exaggerated intonation, "Then here's the question: I'll spare no resources, utilize celestial books and divine-level techniques, to help you with your human pill business."
I'll give you advice and guidance on how to profit from the war, expanding your human pill business to dozens or even hundreds of times its current size.
I will soon be taking down one alchemy factory after another for you, laying the foundation for your war profits.

"And I only took 30% of your profits. From beginning to end, did I ever ask for a single extra penny from you?!"

The fish bodhisattva immediately shrunk in size, and in just a few moments, that majestic giant Buddha image transformed into a normal-sized, bald monk wearing a Taoist robe.

He bowed deeply to Zhou Xuan and said, "Master Mingjiang, I have long admired your name. Meeting you today, I am honored to have you as my teacher."

"Great Master, I accept a bow from Monk Yu."

During the worship, the fish monk's body swayed strangely, like the unconscious trembling of a patient with a chronic illness.

Zhou Xuan knew that the fish monk was getting into character.

"Fish monk, oh fish monk, it took me a lot of effort to catch you."

Zhou Xuan murmured to himself,
Fortunately, all the hard work paid off, and the fish was now in the trap.

Zhou Xuan took a paper fan and gently tapped the fish monk's shiny bald head three times: "A wise master can lead the way, but the disciple also needs to be comprehension. You are a comprehension person. Come on, tell me in detail which alchemy factories you know, where they are located, and what kind of pills they refine."

“These past few days, your teacher Zhou has been smashing those alchemy factories to pieces for you—telling those alchemists that if you don’t have talent, don’t try to learn alchemy from others.”

Zhou Xuan wasn't lying to the fish monk; he genuinely had ideas about refining pills. However, the pill he wanted to refine wasn't a human pill, but rather the "qi pill" mentioned by the White Deer Alchemist.
Since he's going to engage in large-scale alchemy, then all those who practice alchemy, regardless of whether they're ruthless or not, are Zhou Xuan's enemies.

After all, the most naked hatred always comes from one's peers...

(End of this chapter)